Sarner Immerses Visitors in the Search for Life Beyond Earth at the Natural History Museum

Developed in close collaboration with the Museum’s in-house team, these immersive experiences serve as the dramatic anchor points of the visitor journey – inspiring curiosity and emotional engagement, while complementing the exhibition’s rich scientific content.

Today, there is more evidence than ever before that life could exist beyond our planet. Planetary scientists are uncovering the building blocks of life on asteroids, while missions to Mars continue to reveal tantalising hints of a once-habitable past. New telescopes are discovering thousands of exoplanets, fuelling the emerging sciences of astrobiology and speculative evolution. Although no definitive proof of extraterrestrial life has yet been found, the possibility remains real – and this exhibition brings that frontier of discovery vividly to life.

Three Immersive Moments

Aimed at adults as well as families with children aged nine and above, the brief for the immersive installations was to bring the mysteries of space closer to visitors, engaging them on an emotional and reflective level. Rather than relying on text or literal scenic recreations, the experiences adopt an artistic approach in line with the broader exhibition’s design aesthetic – clean, modern, and thought-provoking. 

Origins of Life

Visitors begin their journey beneath a striking 2.3-metre suspended sphere, visible from outside the gallery and drawing them inside. Brought to life through projection mapping, this opener draws on both microphotography and astronomy, creating a striking visual link between the two realms. Bacteria are rendered as luminous celestial bodies, evoking microscope slides as much as distant nebula in the cosmos. Accompanied by an ambient, otherworldly soundscape, the installation subverts expectations: are we looking at the universe, or at the very origins of life itself? Setting the tone for the exhibition journey to follow, it immediately captures visitors’ attention and sparks curiosity and wonder.

Mars

At the centre of the exhibition, a sweeping 7-metre projection, inspired by NASA’s topographic data, immerses visitors in the Jezero Crater. A two-minute narrative cycle brings the Martian day to life, from dawn to dust storms and meteorite impacts to the operations of the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter. Each event unfolds directly before the viewer, heightening the sense of immediacy and immersion. A richly layered soundscape complements the visuals, while multisensory effects, such as gusts of wind during storms, reinforce the illusion of being on another world.

At specific moments, the narrative pauses to reveal interactive “windows into the past.” Visitors can activate these portals to glimpse Mars as it once might have been: a planet of vast oceans, blue skies, and river valleys resembling Earth, or an earlier volcanic world of lava flows and fire. These contrasts invite reflection on the planet’s long and complex history, raising the tantalising possibility that life might once have thrived there. By blending scientific accuracy with emotional storytelling, the installation transforms Mars from a distant, alien world into a place that feels strangely relatable.

Speculative Life Forms

As the finale to the exhibition, visitors are treated to a breathtaking audiovisual pay-off after the more information-rich sections of the journey. A constellation of circular screens, up to two metres across and suspended as high as six metres above the floor, surrounds them with light and motion.

Surrounded by galaxies and nebulae reminiscent of James Webb Space Telescope imagery, they find themselves immersed in an otherworldly environment. Pools of light on the floor beckon them forward: stepping into one activates hidden content, triggering a selection of circular screens ahead to come alive with animated visions of alien life. Speculative beings – a shrimp-like swimmer, a carnivorous plant, a sprawling bacterial colony – emerge from the cosmic backdrop and briefly reveal themselves before dissolving once more into the starfield. 

Although no extraterrestrial creatures have yet been discovered, each design has been developed in consultation with scientists. Rooted in what we know about the laws of physics, evolution, and planetary chemistry, the creatures strike a delicate balance between scientific plausibility and imagination. 

Careful spatial planning encourages visitors to wander, look upward, and feel as though they are exploring an interstellar menagerie. The experience deliberately mirrors the stripped-back elegance of the opening “Origins of Life” moment, bringing the exhibition full circle: from Earth’s first microbes to speculative visions of alien organisms among the stars.

Leaving the space, visitors carry with them not answers but possibilities – a lingering sense of awe at what life beyond Earth might look like, and the exhilarating realisation that we may only just be beginning to imagine it. 

Sustainable Design for a Sustainable Future

In line with the Natural History Museum’s values, every element of Sarner’s design followed the highest sustainability standards. Using the most environmentally responsible techniques and materials available, the installations minimise ecological impact while underscoring the exhibition’s deeper message: that Earth is still the only known home to life, and protecting it is paramount.

Turnkey Delivery

Delivered on a turnkey basis and designed with sensitivity to the Museum’s historic gallery setting, the project drew on our in-house design, audiovisual, and special effects expertise to create immersive experiences that are both visually impactful and technically robust – reliable, easy to operate, and straightforward to maintain throughout the exhibition’s run.

Ed Cookson, Project Director at Sarner International, commented:

“The Natural History Museum's latest exhibition, Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?, is inspiring, informative, and powerful, and Sarner are thrilled to have contributed with three moments of interactive and immersive wonder. I would encourage anyone with an interest in space or discovery to experience it.”

The exhibition Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? runs until 22 February 2026 at the Natural History Museum, London. To book tickets, visit: nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/space.html